Freemason Wisdom: George Washington On The Constitution

"Precedents are dangerous things; let the reins of government then be braced and held with a steady hand, and every violation of the Constitution be reprehended: If defective let it be amended, but not suffered to be trampled upon whilst it has an existence."

~George Washington

 Bro. Washington understood the dangers to our founding document even before the ink was dry on it.  He knew there would be those that challenged it, tried to ignore it, or disregard it when there was some goal they wished to accomplish.  Obviously, the same is true today. The constitution protects the individual against the government by limiting its power.  The larger the government, the smaller the citizen.  If you recall your history, it was large government, out of touch with and unconcerned about their citizens, that America rebelled against. 

~TEC

Freemason Wisdom: Benjamin Franklin On Happiness

"The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself."

~Benjamin Franklin

One thing that Benjamin Franklin seemed to understand was that happiness comes from within. He knew that even with virtually limitless freedom and liberty, there would always be those that would never find happiness. The same is true today.

We all know people that seem to have everything, and aren't happy. They seem to go through life looking for that one thing they need to make them happy--the perfect person, car, house, job. And when it comes along, they still aren't content, because it wasn't what they thought it was--it didn't bring them the happiness they expected. So they keep searching for that one thing they need . . .

Franklin was correct. Happiness comes from within. In order to be happy, we have to know ourselves, and that involves seeing the truth about ourselves. Many of us spend more time worried about what other people think about us than what we think about ourselves. It's tough looking at ourselves warts and all. So instead of facing that truth, digging down into who we really are and what makes us tick, we spend our lives trying to fill the void that lack of understanding ourselves creates with things (and medications), none of which will ever make us happy.

Only when you can look at yourself, and accept yourself as you truly are, can you ever be truly happy.

~TEC

Todd E. Creason is the author of Famous American Freemasons: Volumes I & II where you'll find many other great stories about famous Freemasons.

Freemason Wisdom: Teddy Roosevelt

"The human body has two ends on it; one to create with and one to sit on. Sometimes people get their ends reversed. When this happens they need a kick in the seat of the pants."

~Theodore Roosevelt

Matinecock Lodge No. 806

Oyster Bay, NY

Excerpted from A Freemason Said That: Great Quotes from Famous Freemasons by Todd E. Creason (2009)

Henry Ford: Freemason Wisdom To Begin Your Week

"Don't find fault, find a remedy."

~Henry Ford

It's never been difficult to accept credit for something when everything goes right, but it's always been hard to accept blame when things go wrong.  It's much easier to assign blame, than accept responsibility.  But what we often forget is that we learn much more from an error than we do from a success.  A person that never makes a mistake doesn't have the opportunity to learn from it.  They never learn to adapt, change, and try again.  They never learn to look at problems from other angles and see other possible solutions.

It's difficult to be wrong.  It's embarrassing to fall on your face.  It's hard to be laughed at.  But a person that is never criticised never learns to accept criticism and goes through life terrified of the prospect of making a mistake and looking foolish.  They never learn to rise above it.  They never learn to brush themselves off and keep on going with the experience of that mistake behind them, and the wisdom of a valuable lesson learned the hard way.  The secret in attaining wisdom isn't never making a mistake--it's never making the same mistake twice.

TEC

You like this? Check back next Monday for another great quote from a famous Freemason. This may wind up being a regular feature of the Toddz Spot blog

Ludwig van Beethoven: Freemason Wisdom To Begin Your Week

"The barriers are not erected which can say to aspiring talents and industry, 'Thus far and no farther.'"

~Ludwig van Beethoven

Who creates the barriers that stop us from living our dreams?  Who creates the barriers that prevent us from attaining our full potential?  Does society limit us?  Are we limited by our lack of education or money?  Or do we create those barriers ourselves?  Do we lack the faith to pursue those things we really want and create our own obstacles?

Imagine what we might accomplish if we truly believed we could not fail.  What might you try to do if you believed success was eminent.  If you look at the lives of truly successful men, you will see a common theme many times over.  This idea they possessed that they would inevitably succeed--that they couldn't possibly fail.  It was that passion and belief that fueled these men through all the difficulties along the way, and finally delivered them to the place they knew in the beginning they would eventually reach.

What do you want to do?  Do you truly believe you can?  Then why aren't you doing it today?

~TEC

Todd E. Creason is the author of Famous American Freemasons: Volumes I & II where you'll find many other great stories about famous Freemasons.

Ben Franklin: Freemason Wisdom To Begin Your Week

"Do not squander time for that is the stuff life is made of."

~Benjamin Franklin

When we're very young, a summer vacation seemed like it lasted forever.  But as we get older, it seems like time moves more quickly, the seasons coming and going in a blur.  Before we know it, middle age is upon us, and old age is creeping right around the corner.  We begin to understand the value of time, and notice just how badly we spend it.  Those unfilled dreams of youth again come to our mind, and we begin to ask ourselves when we're going to get around to them, if ever.  It's always about time.  We're too busy to chase dreams, and live our lives. 

But are we too busy?  Ask yourself a question.  How are you spending your time?  Are you spending it wisely or are you squandering it on meaningless pursuits?  Are you spending your time on the things that are going to matter most to you when your reach the end of your journey or are you going to leave this world disappointed you weren't able to do more?  Old Ben Franklin understood life, and he was keenly aware of his own weaknesses.  He began each day with a catechism of his own design:  "I hold within me the power to do things differently today than I did yesterday." 

TEC

You like this?  Check back next Monday for another great quote from a famous Freemason.  This may wind up being a regular feature of the Toddz Spot blog